  
CARE is probably
best known as the humanitarian organization that provided food
and clothing in "CARE packages" to families in Europe
who were trying to rebuild their lives after World War II. However,
in addition to emergency relief, CARE has 52 microcredit programs
in 23 countries, reaching more than 100,000 people -- 55 percent
of whom are women CARE's Small Economic Activity Development
Programs empower poor women to find their own solutions to poverty
by using their creativity and energy to forge a better life for
themselves and their families. Here are some examples of CARE's
other programs:
- In the town of Aswan, Egypt,
CARE is creating or strengthening regional financial services
and technical training through the Growth in Small- and Micro-Enterprise
Project. CARE's role is to train staff in organizational skills,
loan management, accounting and other basic business skills.
The associations in turn provide this training to small- and
micro-entrepreneurs who take out loans. Loans help a seamstress
purchase an additional sewing machine, or enable a dairy farmer
to buy a milk processor. Training teaches a carpenter to make
furniture that has a high demand in local markets. Loans and
training help entrepreneurs earn more money to invest in the
health, education and well-being of their families.
- In Bangladesh, through CARE's
Rural Roads Maintenance Program, 60,000 divorced or widowed women
are patching and rebuilding dirt roads damaged by floods. A portion
of their wages is deposited into a savings account to help them
launch small businesses. In the final nine months of their four-year
participation in the program, CARE empowers the women to plan
their futures by providing career advice, job training and life
management skills.
- In the Hardoi district of India,
with training and start-up capital from CARE, a group of women
have started a revolving loan fund, purchased milking cows and
developed a dairy cooperative.
- In Rwanda, CARE's Women's Agriculture
and Recovery Project is helping 3,500 households headed by women
to begin farming again. CARE supplies improved seed varieties,
tools and training.
Contact: CARE Headquarters, 151
Ellis Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303-2439; Phone: 1-800-422-7385;
Email: info@care.org; Internet:
www.care.org
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